NCB On The Trail: Elijah Stewart

Recruiting has quieted down a bit since the end of the early signing period and the start of the high school and college seasons, but there are plenty of teams still looking for players. Where will these schools find them?

Available players

The most obvious route is the remaining uncommitted players in the 2015 class. We’ve gone over the top 100 players countless times, and while there aren’t too many of that caliber still on the board, that’s the straight-forward option for teams still in need. The premier programs in the country are gunning for the Jaylen Browns, Diamond Stones and Ivan Rabbs of the world, but lower-tier high-major programs and mid-major programs have to keep their eyes out. They’re looking outside the top 100 and will also be on the prowl for players set to emerge during their senior seasons.

As those borderline high-major prospects continue to wait to commit to a school, though, they see their recruitment rise significantly. And therein lies the danger for schools: The talent pool among seniors dries out, schools still need players -- and desperation kicks in. That’s when you’ll see programs reaching for players, just to fill a void or get a body on the roster. For new coaches taking over programs, it’s a necessary evil; they simply need guys. But in some cases, it’s better to hold onto a scholarship for next year instead of reaching for a guy who won’t cut it at the high-major or mid-major level and will therefore transfer or take up a scholarship for four years.

Four-star shooting guard Elijah Stewart, ranked No. 94 in the 2014 ESPN 100, committed to USC on Sunday. He was the last remaining uncommitted player in the ESPN 100. Here's a look at why Stewart committed and what he will bring to the Trojans:

The ESPN 100 has just three remaining uncommitted prospects, and the competition remains furious for their services.

Myles Turner, No. 2 in the ESPN 100, leads the way, followed by No. 94 Elijah Stewart, who was released from his letter of intent to Loyola Marymount following the firing of coach Max Good, and No. 98 Josh Cunningham.

Devonte Graham wasn’t ESPN 100 eligible by virtue of his post-graduate status, but there is no denying he is a wanted man after receiving his release from Appalachian State. He will take official visits to Kansas and North Carolina State while also considering Virginia, Virginia Tech, Xavier and Providence.

So where are these remaining four prospects headed? No one knows for sure just yet, but here are a few educated guesses:

When our final rankings came out the other day Elijah Stewart came in at No. 94.

Stewart can play, as he has a rangy frame and is a terrific jump-shooter. He’s an explosive athlete who can compete and perform in any conference. He loves to attack the rim in combination with his jumper, which makes him hard to guard. An area of improvement would be his ball handling, as he attacks with speed more than control.

UNC has inquired, as have USC, UCLA and many other programs.

If Tar Heels go after him hard, they will get a visit. His quick-trigger jumper is just what they need.

The 19th annual Nike Extravaganza was quite possibly the best collection of talent in its tenure. When you have Duke-bound Jahlil Okafor (Chicago/Whitney Young) going head-to-head with Arizona-bound Stanley Johnson (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei), that is about as good as it gets. Add in USC-bound Jordan McLaughlin (Etiwanda, Calif./Etiwanda) putting the St. John Bosco defense on skates and recent ESPN 100 entree Elijah Stewart (Los Angeles/Westchester) scorching the nets, it further solidifies the claim that the event was loaded.

A load in the paint

Jahlil Okafor (Chicago/Whitney Young)2014, C, 6-foot-10, 270 pounds
Status: Signed with Duke
Okafor didn't get many touches because of Mater Dei's collapsing zone. Once teammate and Saint Louis signee Miles Stewart started draining 3s, it opened up some breathing room for him to operate. He gathered most of his stats on offensive rebounds and utilizing those magnetic hands he possesses. At this level, he can dominate with his length, strength, and post skills. However, Okafor has limited lift and he struggled at times corralling rebounds despite having a significant size advantage.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -- This holiday season had tournaments sprinkled all over Southern California and one of the better ones was the MaxPreps Holiday Classic. The University of Michigan was represented by the ultra-talented Kameron Chatman (Portland, Ore./Columbia Christian) as well as the multifaceted D.J. Wilson (Sacramento, Calif./Capital Christian). However, in the end, a school in Mill Creek, Wash. (Jackson) dominated the competition.

D.J. Wilson (Sacramento, Calif./Capital Christian)2014, WF/PF, 6-foot-8, 205 pounds
Status: Signed with Michigan
Wilson is eerily similar to what Paul George (Indiana Pacers) was like in high school. Wilson has a smooth shooting touch to 22 feet and has solid ball skills in the open court. However, his motor fluctuates in terms of playing physical in the paint at both ends.

REDONDO BEACH, Calif. -- The 62nd annual Pac Shores tournament kicked off the high school season with a bang. The tournament was littered with Division I talent, led by ESPN 100 recruit Daniel Hamilton (Bellflower, Calif./St. John Bosco) and ESPN 60 prospects Tyler Dorsey (Bellflower, Calif./St. John Bosco) and Kendall Small (Lakewood, Calif./Mayfair).

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On The Trail is ESPN Recruiting's home for all the latest news and information. With some of the nation's top recruiting writers contributing, OTT provides the latest details about commitments, visits and other notes to give fans the most comprehensive recruiting news source in the country.